I tried a recipe last weekend for stuffed calamari that was an enormous amount of work, and the end result was really disappointing. The stuffing was a mixture of chopped and sauteed tentacles, onions, garlic, parsley and sherry. Too much calamari: not good to stuff squid with squid.
Does anyone have an excellent recipe for stuffed calamari, or know of a restaurant where they had stuffed calamari that they loved? Help!

CB: I can't vouch for these recipes, because I only like fried calamari, but my friend, Claire, loves stuffed calamari. I gave you two recipes; and I agree, squid stuffed with squid is just wrong!!! That's like pepper-stuffed peppers!

These babies are so easy. and they make you look awfully clever. you buy the baby calamari, mix the stuffing. use the leftover stuffing as a salad, grill the calamari for 3-4 minutes and you're done. grill the scallops at the same time and you're a hero!

3 calamari tubes per person

1 fennel/ anise bulb

1 can cannellini beans

1/4 preserved lemon

fresh parsley

lemon juice

olive oil

harissa (see below)

here's what you do:

the calamari: buy around 3 tubes per person, run your finger around the inside to make sure that all of the cartilage has been removed...rinse them out and pat them dry

the stuffing: mix 1 tin of cannellini beans (rinsed and drained) with 1/2 cup parsley (chopped) and the rind from a 1/4 preserved lemon (finely diced)...12 grinds of the pepper mill, a splash of olive oil and you're done. now, use a teaspoon and fill each calamari tube (you'll only get a couple of spoons in each tube). douse the stuffed calamari in a little more oil and keep in the fridge until you're ready to cook them (this can be done hours ahead)

the salad: mix the leftover stuffing mix with some finely sliced fennel (anise)...about 1/2 a bulb...or the lot if you don't want leftovers...a dash more olive oil before you serve it all (maybe some fresh oregano leaves and lemon juice)...and that's it!

grilling: make sure that the calamari are lightly coated in olive oil so they don't stick to the grill. get the bbq good and hot, place the tubes on the grill. cook 2 minutes, turn, cook another 2 minutes. done!

before you taste this, beware: it's bloody hot! harissa is an african chili sauce. the faint of heart can calm it down by adding a 1/3 cup tomato paste...or serve it alongside some tzatziki.

The Scallop recipe:

pancetta wrapped scallops
skewered on rosemary twigs
these are the perfect partner for the stuffed calamari as they cook as quickly and they both look so cosy on a platter together

here's the skinny:

try and get yourself some pepper crusted pancetta...just for the spice factor. no sweat if you can't; prosciutto or bacon will do

I buy frozen scallops (the biggest that I can find)

couple of reasons

first: I lay them out on a plate lined with paper towel (not touching) so that they thaw in nice round shapes. once they lose their shape, or split, they just don't look as good

second: they are easier to handle if they are still a little frozen

so: uncoil your pancetta, cut a strip about 10 inches / 25 cm...wrap it around a scallop (double over any excess pancetta) and then grab a twig of rosemary which has had the leaves stripped off it (or use a skewer if you've no imagination)...pierce the twig through the pancetta and semi-frozen scallop. repeat until you have 3-4 scallops on a twig

place the scallops kebabs on some paper towel and set them in the fridge to finish thawing until you are ready to grill them

douse them in a little olive oil, toss them on a hot grill. 2 minutes a side...a little more if you want the pancetta super crispy...and serve them with some paprika sprinkled over (thank you, bobi) or some maresh pepper flakes or (let's make it easy) more harissa!

and while you're at it, shave some parmesan on top...heck, put some on the salad as well!

boquerones are tender, juicy white anchovy fillets. so far removed from the whiskery old things you're used to fishing off the pizza

for a salty little start to the meal, toast some rounds of ciabatta, top with a leaf of arugula, a boquerones fillet, a slice of good parmesan and finish it all off with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.

How to Prepare the Balsamic Reduction:
Cook over low heat until reduced by half.

Cooking Directions:
Stuff Calamari bodies with filling. Leave room as filling will expand. Roll bodies and tentacles in virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped onion and garlic. Bake Calamari bodies in pan under broiler till one side is dark golden brown. Add tentacles to pan and cook an addtional minute. Serve brown side up on bed of greens. Drizzle with Balsamic reduction and serve. _________________Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
Groucho Marx

DQ, both recipes look fantastic, and I'm going to try them next time I'm allowed in the kitchen. I also searched on the net, and Bobby Flay has one recipe that looked promising._________________The goal is to fit it all in.

Nah-h-h, that would require "effort". I just come here for fun!But, thanks for the comment, JustMe._________________Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
Groucho Marx

Here's news that has nothing to do with stuffed calimari. Last weekend my brother and I were on the eastern shore of Maryland, at the Waterman's Restaurant in Rock Hall. We ordered a dozen of the hard crabs and a pitcher of local beer. It's very nearly a perfect meal. It takes a lot of time to extract all of the meat from each crab, and because of the Bay's seasoning on the crabs, it's thirsty work. If you pick crab and drink beer at the right pace, you'll never fill up on crab and never drink too much beer. We were at it for three hours, and by the time we were done, 18 crabs and two pitchers of beer were gone._________________The goal is to fit it all in.

Based on scientific evidence, no one has ever gotten fat from eating crabs and drinking beer.
But, because there's never such a thing as too much scientific evidence, I feel like it's necessary to conduct the experiment over and over again to make sure that the conclusions are valid.
I've also proven that drinking beer without eating crabs can definitely make you fat. Not being completely convinced, however, this is an ongoing experiment as well._________________The goal is to fit it all in.